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Brentwood Select Board narrows automated trash options as town prepares voter information
Summary
Board discussed switching from manual to automated trash pickup: Casella will provide a 95-gallon recycling cart to each household; residents may choose 65 or 95-gallon trash carts. Key questions remain on default size, one-time exchanges, fees for additional carts, and whether commercial properties are included; staff will confirm details and finalize informational flyer before Town Meeting.
Brentwood — The Select Board continued deliberations Tuesday on how to present automated trash and recycling options to voters after residents debated funding for manual pickup.
Town staff said Casella will supply a 95-gallon recycling cart to each household and that residents will be able to choose between a 65- and 95-gallon trash cart before delivery. Board members and residents asked about logistics: whether Casella will offer a one-time swap if households want a different cart after initial delivery, whether the company will pick up and exchange carts at residents’ homes, and how additional rented carts will be billed.
Julie (town administrator) reported Casella cited a $130 annual subscription fee plus the town can add a local fee (example cited: $100), making a combined example rental cost of $230 per year for an extra 95-gallon cart. The board noted that while automated pickup may reduce the town’s per-month manual collection cost (estimated previously at $4,000/month), high take rates for larger carts and associated tipping fees could shift costs back to residents.
Members discussed whether commercial properties should be included in town pickup (historical practice was that the town did not pay for commercial pickup; many businesses use dumpsters), how to handle households that need additional carts, and how to present options clearly in the Town Meeting informational flyer. Staff were directed to confirm Casella’s swap logistics, pricing, and whether residents can pre-select cart sizes ahead of drop-off; the board planned another follow-up meeting to finalize materials.
What remains unresolved: default cart size for trash, exact additional-cart fee, how businesses will be categorized, and the final wording for the Town Meeting information packet.
